When you ring around for a repair quote you usually get a number with no story behind it. Fifty dollars, eighty dollars, "we will take a look". That number means nothing until you know what triggers it and what happens after. I quote the same way every time so you can hold me against anyone else fairly.

The choice: how do you hand the machine over

Jobs reach my bench three ways. The right one depends mostly on whether the machine still runs.

Option	Best when	What happens
Remote support	It boots and the fault is software, email, a virus or settings	Same day if the machine still boots. I connect, you watch.
Drop-off	It will not boot, or it needs a part	Testing is capped at about three hours so you are not billed for my bench time.
Onsite house call	Several machines, a network, or you would rather not unplug anything	I come to you anywhere in Brisbane.

The rate is $150 per hour including GST. There is no callout fee, no weekend surcharge and no public holiday surcharge. If a new fault changes the price, you hear from me before I carry on, not after.

Four questions worth asking any repairer

• Is the callout fee separate from the hourly rate?
• Is that hourly rate including GST or plus it?
• Does the price rise on a Saturday or a public holiday?
• How long do you test before you start billing?

Large chains can charge up to $160 an hour and add an $80 same-day callout on top. A local family-owned business like mine keeps a flat hourly rate and drops the fees, which matters most on small jobs that take under an hour.

What I will not charge you for

I do not bill for the phone call that sorts out whether you even need me. I do not bill for travel inside Brisbane on a standard onsite job. And I do not round a forty minute job up to a full hour to make the maths tidier. You pay for the time the work takes, and I will tell you roughly how long it should run before I start.

My recommendation

If the machine still boots, start with remote support. It is the cheapest way to find out whether you have a software problem or a hardware one, and remote support is available same day. If it does not boot, book a drop-off and let the three hour testing cap protect you. Only book onsite if the job involves your home or office, not just one machine on a desk.

Why I quote this way

A quote you cannot itemise is a guess wearing a price tag. Tying the figure to time, then capping the testing, means you know the ceiling before I open anything. Most repairs are finished within 24 hours, so the wait is short whichever path you take.

Call 0477 319 160 and describe the fault. I will tell you straight which of the three options fits and roughly what it will cost. If you would rather put it in writing first, email [email protected]">[email protected].